Target game device.



H. H. EISENHAUER.

TARGET GAME DEVICE.

APPLICATION men JULY 26. 1918.

1,291,450.- Patented Jan. 14, 1919.

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H. H. EISENHAUER.

TARGET GAME DEVICE APPLICATION FILED JULY 26.1918.

1,291,450. Patented Jan. 14, 1919.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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UNITE 3| HERMAN H. EISENHAUER, 0F NEWPORT, RHODE ISLAND.

TARGET GAME DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 14, 1919.

Application filed July 26, 1918. Serial No. 246,851.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HERMAN H. EISEN- HAUER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Newport, in the county of Newport and State of Rhode Island, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Target Game Devices, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to game devices, and more particularly to novel and useful improvements in targets, adapted for use in shooting galleries, or places of amusement, the object thereof being to provide an improved construction of operating mechanism whereby when the target is struck, a flag or other display device will be exhibited.

More particularly the invention comprises a target device including the figure of a head designed to be struck b throwing a ball, the device being representative of the war and the erson whose head is simulated representing an enemy to be defeated or captured, and the mechanism being so constructed that when the target is struck it will fall into a series of guides and display a flag representing the nation which has caused the fall of the enemy.

With the above and other objects in view, as will appear as the description proceeds, the invention comprises the various novel features of construction and arrangement of parts which will be more fully described herein and set forth with particularity in the claims appended hereto.

Reference is had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this application, in which like reference characters indicate the corresponding parts throughout the several views, in which Figure 1 is a plan view of my improved target device,

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view thereof,

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary cross sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2, and

Fig. 4 is a perspective view showing the operative mechanism whereby a flag is raised, for displaying the same.

Referring to the drawings in detail, my improved target device includes a frame comprising side Walls 10 and end walls 11 and 12, intermediately between which and transversely of the frame upon the side walls 10 there is supported a target plate 13, preferably depicting the outline of the upper portion of a body and neck with which a target 141 depicting a face is cooperative. The target 11 is mounted upon the upper end of a lever 15, which lever is pivoted at its lower end to a rearwardly proecting staple or eye 16 carried by the lower portion of the plate 13, as shown. The lever 15 is twisted intermediately to provide a flattened portion 17 parallel with the plate 13, and at its lower end, is offset and apertured as shown at 18 for pivotal connection with the eye or staple 16, Which latter has a block 19 so as to secure the staple in position spaced from the plate 13, and also to prevent the lever 15 from getting out of range of the actuating device, as will be hereinafter more particularly specified, in conjunction with the offset portion at the lower end of the lever.

Disposed in front of the plate 13 is a strip 20, the same being grooved vertically in conjunctlon with the inner face of the forward portion 11 of the frame, these grooves being arranged in longitudinal alinement with respect to the frame and parallel to the sides 10, so as to receive spacing and guiding plates 21, which latter are slightly inclined forwardly so as to discharge the ball at the forward portion of the frame should it fall upon said plates, and thereby also protecting the flag display mechanism, operating between said plates as will be fully set forth.

Arranged transversely of the frame beneath the plate 13 is a pivot rod 22, the latter forming a rest or stop for a series of articulated flag holding and displaying members comprising a series of levers 23 pivoted intermediately but nearer to their rear ends, upon a pivot 24: also transversely arranged between the side portions of the frame, in rear and above the rod 22. Spacing collars 25 are arranged upon the pivot 24: between the levers 23, so as to hold the latter equidistantly spaced, except as regards the central lever, which is provided with a double space, if desired. The forward portions of the levers 23 are provided with notches 26 in their bottom edges, designed to accommodate the rod 22 and pivoted to said forward portions of the levers 23 beyond said rod 22, are a series of arms 27, the same having rearwardly projecting portions 28 recessed on their upper edges, as shown at 29, the bevel of the recesses being in an opposite direction to that of the recessed portions 26 to further assist in the accommodation of the rod 22 when the levers 23 are resting thereon and the portions 28 of the arms 27 are disposed unwardly into engagement therewith. The pivotal connection of the arms 27 with the levers 23 is indicated at 30 and the free ends of the arms 27 are provided with reduced portions or screw eyes 31 designed to accommodate suitable display devices or flags 32, preferably eleven in number and depicting the flags of the various allies. It

should also be noted that the forward lower edge portion of the strip 20 is beveled as shown at 33, said strip forming a stop in conjunction with the bottom edge of the plate 13 to limit the upward movement of the arms 27 and also the levers 23.

Arranged across the frame in the rear of the plate 13 and near the rear end 12 is an arcuate plate 34, the radius of which corresponds to the pivot of the lever 15 as a center, the plate, therefore, being concentric with said pivot and provided with a series of spaced vertical apertures receiving correspondingly spaced guide pins so as to project above the same, said pins having their upper ends pointed as shown at 36 to guide the lever 15 therebetween. The pins 35 also project below the plate 34 and said depending portions are preferably of reduced size, as shown at 37, so as to accommodate for vertical movement therebetween the horizontally twisted rear ends 38 of the levers 23, said portions 38 being horizontally positioned and relatively wide to be engaged by the lower ends of plungers 39 adapted for vertical reciprocation in openings in the plate 34, equidistantly positioned between the guide pins 35, the upper ends of the plungers being provided with enlarged heads 40 having opposed recesses 41 fitting the contour of the opposed circular guide pins 35, so as to hold the plungers from rotation while permitting free vertical movement thereof.

Arranged between the plate 34 and the target plate 13, is a V-shaped guide member 42 which is inclined from the plate 34 to the upper portion of the plate 13, the rear side at the neck portion of the latter of which is provided with a beveled recess 43 being designed to receive the restricted or bight end of the guide 42 which latter comprises side portions 44 of a resilient nature having the lower extremities thereof depending vertically as shown at 45 and anchored in the plate 34, near the opposite ends thereof. Normally, the weight of the forward ends of the levers 23 will hold the latter downwardly displaced in connection with the arms 27 and the flags carried thereby, thus causing the rear extremities of the levers 23 to elevate the pl-ungers between the guide pins 35. When the parts are'in this position the lever 15 is held upwardly displaced, as shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings, in contact with the target plate 13, and

as the restricted portion of the guide 42 is extended into the recess 43 and designed to normally spring upwardly resiliently slightly above the upper end of the plate 13, the lower portion of the target 14 will frictionally engage therewith, and thereby be held in position over the target plate 13 and upon the neck portion thereof so as to complete the figure. Thus, when the target is struck, it will be deflected rearwardly from its engaged position or seat and will drop in between certain of the guide pins 35 thereby depressing the corresponding plunger and the rear end of its lever 23, thereby elevating the forward end of said lever from the rod 22 and swinging the arms 27 upwardly to contact with the strip 20, while the forward portion of the lever 23 contacts with the lower edge of the target plate 13 and is thereby limited in movement. By this means, the flags will be displayed, guided between the plates 21, so as to prevent displacement or tangling, and the lower portions 46 of the arms 27 operate against the rod 22 and prevent the arms from dropping, as well as serving to elevate the same during the upward movement of the forward portions of the levers 2'3. Said portions 46 also serve to guide the parts to their returned positions when the lever 15 is returned with the target 14 to operative position. For this purpose, a yoke 47 is provided, the extremities thereof being pivoted to the rod 22, as shown at 48, while the transverse portion 49 serves to engage the portion 17 of the lever 15 to return it to proper position. This may be accomplished by attaching a cable or rope 50 to an eye or other part of the yoke 47, as shown at 51, so that the device may be set by the attendant where the sale is made for the balls, in throwing at the target. 7

It should be noted that the space between the central pair of guide pins 35 is double that of the other spaces, and adjacent depending pins 52 are provided to guide the plunger, these pins terminating at the plate and not extending above the same, the same as the guide pins 35. This is made to accommodate the American flag operating device, or the flag of the nation wherein the device is placed on sale. Also when the device is operated by the striking of the target, the operating parts, such as the arms 27, may be made to close a circuit for operating a fan or illuminating device, or both, for causing the waving of the flag and for rendering the same readily visible.

From the foregoing description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, it is thought that a clear and comprehensive understanding of the construction, operation, and advantages of my invention may be had, and while I have shown and described the device as embodying a specific structure, I desire that it be understood that such changes may be made in said structure as do not depart from the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. Ina target device, a plurality of display members, lever actuated mechanism associated with each display member, said display members being normally lowered, a target device, means associated with the target device to operate said lever mechanism to raise a display member upon the target device being struck, means for holding said target device in an operative position, and a series of spaced plates between said display members inclined forwardly to discharge the balls or other projectiles thrown at the target device, therefrom.

2. In a target device, a dis lay member, a lever mechanism associated t erewith, said display member being normally lowered, a target device, means associated with the target device to operate said lever mechanism to raise the display device upon the target being struck, guiding means for said target device, said target device being pivoted, and means for engaging said target device to return the same to operative position.

3. In a target device, a display member. a lever mechanism associated therewith, said display member being normally lowered, a target device, means associated with the target device to operate said lever mechanism to raise the display device upon the target being struck, guiding means for said target devlce, said target device being pivoted, and means for engaging said target device to return the same to operative position, said guiding device serving to lock said target device in operative position.

4. In a ball target device, a frame, a target plate, a target cooperating therewith, a display device adapted to be actuated upon the target being struck, and means for causing the discharge of the balls over the display device.

5. In a ball target device, a frame, a target plate, a target cooperating therewith, a pivotal support for said target, guiding means therefor, said guiding means serving to resiliently hold said target in operative position when elevated, a series of levers, guide means for said levers, plungers actuated by the target support upon the same being struck to actuate the levers, and flag display devices associated with said levers and adapted to be elevated upon the actuation thereof.

6. In a ball target device, a frame, a target plate, a target cooperating therewith, a pivotal support for said target, means for holding said pivotal support with the target arranged over said target plate, a plate supported by the frame in rear of the target plate and having a series of guide pins projecting above and below the same, said target support being designed to be dropped between said pins when struck, plungers operating between said pins for engagement by said target support, levers operated by said plungers and pivoted between the sides of the frame, a rod beneath the target plate and arms pivoted to the forward extremities of the levers and having depending portions to contact with said rod and means for limiting the movements of the levers and arms.

7. In a ball target device, a frame, a target plate, a target cooperating therewith, a pivotal support for said target, means for holding said pivotal support with the target arranged over said target plate, a plate supported by the frame in rear of the target plate and having a series of guide pins projecting above and below the same, said target support being designed to be dropped. between said pins when struck, plungers op erating between said pins for engagement by said target support, levers operated by said plungers and pivoted between the sides of the frame, a rod beneath the target plate and arms pivoted to the forward extremities of the levers having portions projecting beyond their pivots to cooperate with said rod, said levers being limited in their upward movement by the target plate, spaced guide plates between the frame forwardly of the target plate, and display devices carried by the arms.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature hereto.

HERMAN H. EISENHAUER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents. Washington, D. 0." 

